Month: April 2017

REPUBLICAN PUDDING

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REPUBLICAN PUDDING
(The party has changed put the pudding hasn’t)

This recipe comes from a cookbook from the period, The Confederate Receipt Book: A Compilation of Over One Hundred Receipts, Adapted to the Times was printed in 1863 in Richmond, Virginia on polka-dot wallpaper, since regular paper was in short supply.

3 small eggs or two large eggs
2 cups of milk
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, soft
1 cup of cooked rice

Beat the eggs with the milk, sugar and butter using a whisk. Stir in cooked rice, making sure the rice grains are un-clumped. Heat mixture in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stir frequently with whisk. Mixture will thicken after about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Yields four servings.

It can be topped with fruit or a caramel sauce which is traditional. You can make your own caramel sauce by heating 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and stirring in 1/2 cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons of water. The sugar will caramelize and my sweet auntie you made caramel sauce.

  • Note towards the end of the war when sugar was scarce, molasses could have topped it.
  • Or just warm up a jar of caramel ice cream topping. That isn’t lazy after all you just roasted a duck.

ROASTED CORN AND CONSPIRACY BUTTERS

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ROASTED CORN WITH CONSPIRACY BUTTERS

 

6       Ears Of Fresh Corn still in the husk

BUTTER – OPTIONS:

Use unsalted butter and add salt. Soften the butter to room temperature before combining with the other ingredients. The herbs or other aromatics that you plan to use should be chopped very finely. Cream the butter, then add in the herbs/flavorings, you can use the food processor if you want the butters smooth.  Allow to stand for about 2 hours at room temperature to blend the flavors. The butters will store for a short time, but don’t plan on keeping them for months.

—————–  CHILE LIME BUTTER  —————-

1/2    C    (One stick) Softened butter or Margarine

1/2    tsp  Grated Lime Peel

3    T    Lime Juice

Red Chiles, Ground, To Taste

 

————————————SWEET BUTTER————————             2     C Softened Butter or Margarine

1         tsp   Honey

1/4       tsp Cayenne

———————————-HERBED BUTTER————————-

2        C     Softened butter or Margarine

2        T     Minced fresh chives, or dill or rosemary or

****1         T  if you are using dried

1/4     tsp   Salt

1/8     tsp   Pepper

 

—————–  PESTO BUTTER  —————-

1/2   C  Margarine Or Butter, Softened

1    C  Fresh Basil Leaves, chopped

1    T  Scallion, minced

2     tsp   Pine nuts finely chopped

1    tsp  Lemon Juice

1/4    tsp  Salt

 

—————–  HORSERADISH BUTTER  —————-

1/2    cup  Margarine Or Butter,Softened

2-3    T    Prepared Horseradish, to taste

1/4    tsp  Salt

—————— BEURRE de MOUTARD———————

Doesn’t that sound better than Mustard butter?

2        T   Stone ground mustard (or your favorite kind)

2        C   Softened butter or margarine

 

CORN PREPERATION: Remove the large outer husks from the corn turning back the inner husks, remove the silk, and wash.  Spread each ear with about 2 teaspoons of the butter mixture of your choice. Pull the inner husks back over the corn and butter and secure with fine twine or wire so that the husks are packaged firmly and close to the ear. Grill the corn 3 inches from medium coals, turning frequently, until done, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve with the remaining butter of your choice.

 

OVEN ROASTED CORN: Heat the oven to 475 degrees F. Prepare the corn as above, but place in an ungreased cookie sheet. Turn frequently until done, about 30 to 35 minutes.

 

Swinging Tomato Salad

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SWINGING TOMATO SALAD

5 tomatoes, yellow and red, diced
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 cucumber cut in half- length way, then sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 avocado – chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons crushed garlic
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 T extra virgin olive oil

 In a large bowl, combine the tomato, onion, cucumber, bell pepper. Then separately combine the mint, parsley, garlic oil and vinegar whisk together. Toss it into the other ingredients, salt and pepper to taste. Chill and serve.

Easy Peasy and no rope burns.

LOG CABIN SITTING DUCK

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LOG CABIN SITTING DUCK

3 lb duck
4 apples cored and quartered.  Only do the first one right away
2 large white onions
lemon quartered
4-5 cloves of garlic
fresh rosemany
fresh thyme
fresh basil
Olive oil
1 stick of butter
1 cup of Log Cabin Syrup
10 small red potatoes
4 carrots or other root vegetables cut to serving size

Preheat oven to 450°F

 One 3 lb duck.  Wash it inside and out cut away any icky stuff if you see any.

Rub with olive oil and thyme, garlic salt, and rosemary. Stuff it with an apple that has been washed and quartered.  A large onion that has also been quartered, a lemon quarter it too. 4 to 5 cloves of garlic, crushed but not chopped and a bundle of fresh Thyme/rosemary and basil.

 Place sitting duck in the roaster with a little olive oil on the bottom.      

 Melt one stick of butter and combine with 1 cup of log cabin syrup pour mixture over duck just before going into the oven.

 Roast with out cover for 20 minutes.  Then turn back the temperature to 325 and roast 45 minutes, baste it. Now add to the pan 3 more cored and quartered apples and 1 large onion, maybe a few baby red potatoes with a mason-dixon line peeled around the center. A few carrots or other root vegetable. 

Roast another 45 minutes more or until the thigh is pulling away from the bird. 

Remove from oven and let stand on rack for 20 minutes.  Remove stuffing before serving or not.  Hell I don’t know, I left it in. I’m making this up.   

At this time remove the fruit and onions from the pan and hold in warming oven.

Time to make the gravy. 

 Time to eat it up. 

Note to readers….it turns out fantastic, but I saw it serve 3 watching the Super Bowl, four if you were expecting it.   

 

Mary Elizabeth Surratt

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Mary Elizabeth Surratt
1820 to July 7th, 1865

Mary Elizabeth Jenkins was born in May or June of 1820 near Waterloo, Maryland.  At the age of 17 she married 28 year old John H. Surratt.  They moved to an area of Washington DC, now known as Congress Heights.  Mary had three children with John, they were Isaac, Anna and John Jr. (AKA the problem child).

 Her husband operated a tavern, post office and polling place in an area now known as Surrattsville. There was some suggestion that their business may have been an underground haven for Confederates. Her older brother, Zadoc Jenkins, was arrested by Union forces for trying to prevent the occupying Federal soldiers from voting in the Maryland elections. This will not be the last time Americans will have a problem with voter suppression.  Note, this was for the election that gave Lincoln a second term, and emotions were high.

During the Civil war John Jr. became a Confederate spy and messenger and he became acquainted with John Wilkes Booth. After John Sr. died Mary rented out the tavern and farm, and then opened a boarding house in Washington DC.  Booth and several others became frequent visitors to her establishment.  It was clear that Jr. was involved in the plot to kidnap Lincoln, but he was not in DC at the time of the assassination, historically it is unclear if Mary knew of the activities.  I know my mother didn’t know what was going on in our house. (Yeah Right).

So the middle of this story evolves at Ford Theater with John Wilkes Booth and Abe Lincoln at the incomplete showing of Our American Cousin. The investigation indicated that this was not a two-man operation and an unseen supporting cast was pulled into the story.  There was an involved kidnapping and/or assassination plots not only the President, but also Andrew Johnson the VP and William Seward the Secretary of State.  It appears that Booth was the only one who fulfilled his portion of the plan.

Never sure if Mary was involved, or if they simply met at her boarding house, she was tried. There are still questions on the truth and fairness of the military tribunal trial.  Surely she was aware of the abduction plot, but they couldn’t tie her with the assassination. There is some belief that she was arrested and tried in an attempt to get her son to step forward.  Even though her guilt was questionable, she was hanged on June 29, 1865 with several of the plotters.  The men involved with the kidnapping plot were sentenced to life.  This group included Dr. Samuel Mudd, who had set Booth’s broken leg after his escape from the crime scene. Edward Spangler, a stagehand at Ford’s Theater, was given six years for abetting Booth’s escape.

John Jr. was tried before a civil court. The jury was divided  for acquittal but he was not released from prison until June 1868. The hanging of his mother is generally considered to have been a gross miscarriage of justice. The prosecution  never established that Mary  knew of the abduction plot, and it is fairly clear that she was not part of the assassination plans. Booth’s diary and other evidence that might have cast doubt on the prosecution’s case were suppressed by the government, and it is generally believed that some of the testimony against Mary Surratt was false. Even with the questions about the details of her involvement she uttered her last words “Don’t let me fall.” A moment before she swung.

This all started with marrying an older man, while still in her teens, and pampering the baby.  Lesson noted!

MACAROONED ON A DESSERT ISLAND

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This would be better with cookies!

MACAROONED ON A DESSERT ISLAND

3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Whole macadamia nuts
2 Cup semi sweet chocolate (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine coconut, almond extract, and salt. Mix in condensed milk to form a thick paste. Fold in egg whites that were stiffly beaten with the cream of tarter. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart, maroon a nut alone in the center top of the cookie. Bake for about 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

When they are finished a nice touch if they aren’t sweet enough already is to melt some semi sweet chocolate over a double boiler or in a bowl over a pot of boiling water.  When all melted, you can dip the bottoms of the cookies in the chocolate or drizzle over the top. 

SOUTH SEAS FISH BAKE

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SOUTH SEAS FISH BAKE

           8    large firm fillets of white fish (cod, halibut, snapper, grouper even catfish)
           8    large leeks
          1     firm mango
          1     Papaya
          1     Small can of sliced pineapple – fresh if you have it
          1     can coconut milk
        1/2     tsp  coriander
        1/2     tsp basil
         sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
          6    tbl  olive oil
          1/4    Cup coconut (optional)

 Prepare the leeks by trimming the root, and cutting the tough green tops.  Then cut in half, then into julienne strips. When finished soak them in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain.

 Place 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a sauté pan over high heat and add the leeks. Stir over a high heat until the leeks start to wilt, about 1 minute, and then turn the heat down and cook slowly until caramelized, about 2 hour.

 Meanwhile, wash the fish and pat dry. Oil a baking dish large enough to hold all the fish. Thinly slice half the papaya and place on the bottom of the dish. Salt and pepper the fish and place on top of the papaya. Pour the coconut milk over the top.

 Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.

 Cut the remaining papaya, pineapple and mango into strips and mix with the chopped coriander and basil. Add 2 tablespoons lime juice and mix well. Remove the fish from the oven and heap the mango mixture onto each fillet, sprinkle with coconut.

 Return to the oven for 5 minutes.  Don’t over cook the fish. Times will vary with the thickness and type of the fish. Serve on a warm platter, first place the leeks on the platter, then the fish, and make sure each has a generous amount of the fruit mixture on top.  Garnish with fresh basil and any fruit you may have left. 

POLYNESIAN RICE SALAD

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POLYNESIAN RICE SALAD

1 Cup long grain rice
1/4 Cup Canola oil (or a light vegetable oil)
1/4 Cup cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1 c. thinly sliced celery
2 Cups thinly sliced carrots
1 Cup green peas
4  green onions chopped
1 can water chestnuts drained
1Cup sliced and quartered avocado (or mushrooms if you insist)
1 Cup orange slices
1 Cup chopped pineapple

1 Head of Butter lettuce washed and drained

Cook rice according to package directions. Cool.

Combine oil, vinegar, soy sauce, salt, celery and onion tops. Stir in to cooled rice. Fold in the remaining vegetables chestnuts, mushrooms pineapple and oranges. Chill. Serve on lettuce leaves.

 

Makes 8 servings.

 

Pork You Captain Bly

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PORK YOU CAPTAIN BLY

 Marinade

1/2    Cup  Pineapple juice
1/2    Cup  Oil
1/2    Cup  Dark corn syrup
1/4    Cup Fresh lime juice
2     Cloves garlic, minced
2    Tablespoons  Brown sugar
1    Tablespoon  Mustard
1    Tablespoon  Soy sauce
2    tsp  Salt
1    tsp  Coriander
1/2    tsp  Ground ginger

2-3          lb pork tenderloin (substitute 8 1 1/4 + inch pork chops)

Garnish

2       Mangos +cut into strips
Pineapple  rings or if using fresh strips

Mix all ingredients except for garnishing fruit into a marinade. Add pork and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, turning occasionally.

Cook roast on a spit over an open grill.  If using chops grill them a usual. Just as they are about finished, grill the fruit and garnish the servings.

MAUATUA MAIMITI

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MAUATUA MAIMITI
Appx:  1755-1845
Fletcher Christians Polynesian Squeeze

The Bounty sailed to Tahiti in 1788 to collect breadfruit saplings.  These were to be taken to Jamaica to feed plantation slaves. After sailing more than 10 months, they made a stop in Tahiti, and the rest became cinematic history. Not only was this a beautiful tropical fantasy, there was an overwhelming welcome and hospitality from the Tahitians, There is a combination of elements that made the next step in the mutiny. Captain Bligh was well-known as a cranky old sot, adept at degradation, temper and not good in human resources. The men had been at sea for 10 months, and then they saw TAHITI with Tahitians.

Maimiti was very instrumental in the setting of Captain Bligh adrift, by cozying up to Fletch.  Her real name is not known, and she has been called by more descriptive titles.  .

MAUATUA – mountain spirit

MI-MITTI – sick, sea or been annoying

MA VATUA – with seasickness or with annoying

MAINMAST – In English, tall and straight like a mast on a ship

The story is that she was the daughter of a Tahitian chief, but due to Christian position as a Master Mate, she probably would have had a similar position in the community.  Captain Bligh would have been set up with a Chief’s daughter. Maimiti said to be very tall, which could be physical or referring to her personality or status. She was also a little older which supports that she was willing to settle down with one man, she may have been as old as 35. Fletch called her Isabella after his cousin he had left behind. It is said that Fletch and Isabella the 1st had married and she may have been with child when the Bounty set sail from England to Jamaica.

After the mutiny, Christian and his 24 sailors returned to Tahiti, where sixteen of the men decided to remain. Christian, Maimiti, and the eight sailors, their women, and a handful of Tahitian men searched for a safe haven and settled on Pitcairn on January 23, 1790. The mutineers that stayed on Tahiti were found and taken back to England for trial.  The few that escaped to Pitcairn weren’t captured, but the tropical idyllic life escaped them. By 1808 of the eight mutineers seven were dead from murder or suicide and one, John Adams a.k.a. Alexander Smith was left as leader by default. He succeeded to keep the island alive. There are many questions about Fletcher’s death, there is no grave and Adams and Maimiti were unclear about his demise.  There are some rumors that he went back to Belle Island in England and his cousin/wife Isabella.

Maimiti is reported to have stayed a devoted wife to Christian until his death. They had three children. Their son, Thursday October the first child born on Pitcairn, and has been found to the ancestor of almost everybody surnamed Christian on Pitcairn and Norfolk Islands, as well as many from Australia and New Zealand. The other two children were Charles and Mary Ann.

In 1841, George Gardner, visited Pitcairn Island, and described Maimiti as the ‘most perfect picture of an old hag I ever saw. At that time she would have been 80 to 90 years old, and still very active. She never seemed to gather any good names or press, it appears that Fletcher was one of the few people who liked her. She died soon after that visit, not at all worried about popularity and bitchy to the very end. I admire that quality.